Ice maker

ABSTRACT

An ice maker of the type comprising a mold including a plurality of cavities interconnected by fluid passages and ejecting means for ejecting ice pieces from the mold. In order to separate the ice pieces, the ejection axes of adjacent cavities slant relative to one another so that the connecting ice webs formed in the passages are broken during ejection of the ice pieces.

United States Patent Curry, III 1451 Apr. 11, 1972 54] ICE MAKER2,971,346 2/1961 Frei ..62/71 [72] Inventor: Robert W. Curry, Ill,Loulsville, Ky. Primary Examiner william E wayner [7 3] Assignee:General Electric Company Att0rneyWalter E. Rule, Francis l-l. Boos, Jr.,Frank L. Neuhauser, Oscar B. Waddell and Joseph B. Forman [22] Filed:Sept. 8, 1970 211 Appl. No.: 70,082 [57] ABSTRACT An ice maker of thetype comprising a mold including a plurality of cavities interconnectedby fluid passages and ejecting [52] U.S. Cl. ..62/353, 62/71 means forejecting ice pieces from the mold In order to [51] ll. Cl. ..F25c 1/06Separate the ice pieces the ejection axes of adjacent cavities Fleld ofSearch 71, G; l t l ti t one th so th t th ti g i b 18/30 WP formed inthe passages are broken during ejection of the ice pieces. [56]References Cited 10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS2,981,079 4/1961 Fink ..62/353 PATENTEDAPR 1 1 1972 F' l 3 INVENTOR.

ROBERT W. CURRY 111 MW ICE MAKER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The presentinvention relates to multiple-cavity ice makers of the type shown anddescribed in US. Pat. No. 3,163,017 Baker et a1. and US. Pat. No.3,163,018 Shaw issued Dec. 29, 1964. An ice maker of this type comprisesa mold including a plurality of vertically aligned cavities spaced fromone another with the walls between adjacent cavities each having apassage extending from the top to the bottom thereof for distributing acharge of water between the cavities, a motor driven ejecting meansincluding pads normally positioned in the lower portions of the cavitiesand movable to a position adjacent the top of the mold for ejecting theice pieces from the cavities and pivoted sweep or rake means forsweeping the ejected ice pieces into an ice storage receptacle. The icepieces ejected from the mold are interconnected by webs of ice formed inthe passages. Some of these webs are broken during sweeping of the icepieces from the mold and discharge thereof into a storage receptacle.The fact that some of the stored ice pieces are still connected by websis of little consequence in most applications of the ice maker since thewebs can be easily broken by hand as the ice pieces are removed from thereceptacle. However when the ice maker is used in combination with anautomatic ice dispenser, such as that described and claimed in US. Pat.No. 3,422,994 Alvarez assigned to the same assignee as the presentinvention, which is designed to dispense individual ice pieces, it isdesirable that all of these webs be severed prior to discharge of theice pieces into the dispenser receptacle.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION A primary object of the presentinvention is to provide an ice maker of the above-described type inwhich the mold cavities are so constructed and arranged as to break theice webs during ejection of the ice pieces from the mold.

In accordance with the present invention, a multiple-cavity ice maker ofthe above described type is provided with a cavity orientation whicheffects a breaking of the interconnecting webs of ice duringsimultaneous ejection of the ice pieces from the mold cavities. To thisend, the cavities of the mold are arranged or oriented so that theejection axes of adjacent ice pieces diverge sufficiently to twist andbreak their interconnecting web as the ice pieces are ejected from themold.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of an ice makerembodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken along line 22 ofFIG. 1 illustrating one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the portion of the mold shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view of an ice maker moldshowing a modification of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With initial reference to FIG. 1of the drawing, there is shown an automatic ice maker comprising a mold1 adapted to be supported on a wall of a freezer compartment of ahousehold refrigerator. The mold includes a plurality of generallycylindrical ice cavities 3 arranged in a straight line longitudinally ofthe mold and separated from one another by mold end wall portions, eachof which includes a vertical passage 4 extending from the top to thebottom of the cavities. These aligned vertical passages provide meansfor the flow of water from one cavity to another during the mold fillingoperation. Means for ejecting ice pieces from the cavities includes aplurality of pads or pistons 6, which to a substantial extent form thebottoms of the cavities 3 and which are interconnected by a bar 7slidably received within the passages 5.

The passages also guide the bar in the operation of the ice maker toeject ice pieces.

Power and control means for operating the ice maker are generallycontained within a housing 9 secured to one end of the mold and includea motor (not shown) connected through drive means comprising a lever 11and a rod 12 to the pads 6 whereby the pads 6 and the ice piecessupported thereon can be elevated simultaneously to a position above themold cavities 3.

The ice maker also includes a heater 15 for warming the mold to thaw orbreak the bond between the ice pieces and the cavity walls prior tooperation of the ejecting means. After the ice pieces have been raisedby the pads to a position substantially above the mold cavities, anelongated rake or sweep 16, pivotally supported above the upper surfaceof the mold and normally positioned at the rear side of the cavities, isdesigned to move across the top of the cavities and sweep the ice piecesinto a storage receptacle.

As is described in the above mentioned Shaw and Baker et al patents towhich reference is made for a more detailed description thereof, theautomatic operating cycle of an ice maker of this type comprises fillingof the cavities 3 with water, freezing of this charge of water into ice,heating of the mold by energization of the heater 15 to free the formedice pieces from the cavities, ejection of the ice pieces by movement ofthe ejection means including pads 6 from their lower position in thebottom of the cavities to a raised position slightly above the uppersurface of the mold, pivotal movement of the sweep 16 across the top ofthe mold for engaging the ejected ice pieces and sweeping the ice piecesfrom the mold surface and return of the sweep and the pads to theirnormal position in preparation for the introduction of another charge ofwater into the cavities.

As the charge of water introduced into the mold fills both the cavitiesand the passages connecting these cavities, the freezing of this chargeof water produces a plurality of ice pieces interconnected by webs ofice formed in the passages. When the ice mold has the cavity and passageconfiguration and arrangement of the type disclosed in theaforementioned Shaw and Baker patents wherein the passages and cavitiesare in vertical alignment, the ice pieces ejected from the mold areinterconnected by webs of ice. In accordance with the present invention,the mold cavities are so constructed and arranged that the webs of iceconnecting adjacent ice pieces are twisted and broken during ejection ofthe ice pieces from the mold cavities. This twisting and breaking of theice webs is accomplished by orienting adjacent mold cavities so that icepieces formed in these cavities have angularly offset ejection paths oraxes. The terms ejection axis or ejection path as used herein refer tothe path or direction which a cavity causes an ice piece to followduring the ejection thereof from the cavity.

In describing this arrangement of the cavities, reference is first madeto FIG. 1 of the drawing in which it will be seen that the ejection axesof the cavities are vertical and parallel in a longitudinal plane, thatis in a plane passing longitudinally of the mold, as for example throughthe passages 4. In other words, in the longitudinal plane, the icepieces move vertically from the cavities and follow the same verticallyoriented paths as the ejection pads 6.

A twisting of the webs formed in the passages 4 is obtained by laterallyorienting adjacent cavities so that ice pieces ejected therefrom followlaterally angling or divergent paths. In the embodiment of the inventionillustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawing, this has been accomplishedby forming every other mold cavity so that its ejection axis, that isthe path followed by an ice piece ejected therefrom will be angledlaterally of the mold. For example, in a five cavity mold such as thatillustrated in FIG. 1, the first, third and fifth mold cavities such asthe cavity shown in FIG. 2 in solid lines and indicated by the numeral3a are vertically oriented so that they have an ejection axis which isvertical in the longitudinal and lateral planes while the remaining oralternate mold cavities, one of which is shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2and indicated by the numeral 3b, laterally slant relative to thecavities 3a whereby ice pieces being ejected from these cavities 3bfollow a path which is non-vertical and hence divergent from theejection axes of the ice pieces from cavities 3a. Since the ice piecesformed in 3a follow a vertical ejection axis while the ice pieces formedin 3b follow a non-vertical axis, all of the webs of ice formed in thepassages 4 as subjected to a twisting action which causes these webs tobreak between the initial and final stages of the ejection cycle.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 4 of the drawing,the mold cavities are so arranged that all of their ejection axes arenon-vertical in their lateral planes. More specifically, the alternatecavities illustrated in solid lines and indicated by the numeral 30slants laterally in one direction so that their ejection axes also slantin that direction while the intermediate cavities indicated by thenumeral 3d and shown in dotted line slant in the opposite lateraldirection with a corresponding slanting of their ejection axes. In theoperation of the mold shown in FIG. 4, all of the ice pieces followangularly displaced or non-vertical paths as compared with the plane ofthe passages 4 thus making it possible to provide a greater web-twistingaction than in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2.

The lateral angling of the ejection axes of the cavities also has anadditional advantage. Since the pads 6 follow a vertical path during theejection cycle while the ice pieces in such cavities follow anon-vertical path, these ice pieces are laterally titled with referenceto the pads resulting in an early breaking of the bonds between the padsand the ice pieces. The ice pieces then slide laterally along thesurface of the pads during the remaining portion of the ejection strokeand are free of the pads prior to being swept into the storagereceptacle by the sweep 16. Accordingly, the sweep 16 does not have tofurnish the energy necessary to break any ice bonds between the icepieces and the pads.

From a consideration of FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawing, it will be seenthat the ejection axes or paths followed by ice pieces being ejectedfrom the various cavities is determined by the inclination of a sidewall portion of the cavities. More specifically, to provide a laterallyslanting ejection axis, it is necessary that a lateral wall portion of acavity, that is a wall portion about 90 removed from a passage 4, suchas the side wall portion indicated by the numeral 17 in FIG. 2 or thewall portions 18 and 19 of the adjacent cavities in FIG. 4 slantinwardly from bottom to top in order to direct the ice piece beingejected in an angular path relative to a vertical plane extendingthrough the passages 4.

The remaining wall portions of the various cavities may have any shapeor configuration which will not interfere with the free ejection of icepieces from the cavities. For example, instead of being cylindrical asillustrated, the cavities may be rectangular, oblong, oval or of anyother cross-sectional shape provided these cavities also have a draft ortaper which will permit the ice pieces to freely travel out of thecavities. Thus the adjacent cavities may be described either in terms ofbeing cavities having angularly divergent ejection axes or paths for theejected ice pieces or as respectively having opposed wall portions, thatis wall portions on opposite sides of the longitudinal plane of the icewebs, which angle inwardly from bottom to top.

While there has been shown and described specific embodiments of thepresent invention, it will be understood that is is not limited theretoand it is intended by the appended claims to cover all suchmodifications that fall within the true spirit and scope of theinvention.

I claim:

1. An ice maker comprising:

a mold containing at least two cavities interconnected by a passageextending from the top towards the bottom of said cavities whereby theice pieces formed in said cavities are interconnected by a web of iceformed in said passage;

ejection means reciprocable in said cavities for simultaneously ejectingsaid interconnected ice pieces from said mold' the ejection axes of saidcavities being at an angle relative to one another sufircient to breaksaid web during ejection of said ice pieces.

2. An ice maker according to claim 1 containing a plurality of cavitiesextending longitudinally thereof with the ejection axes of adjacentcavities angling lateral relative to one another.

3. An ice maker according to claim 2 in which the ejection axes ofalternate cavities are vertical.

4. An ice maker comprising:

a mold containing a plurality of longitudinally spaced cavities andhaving aligned vertical passages in the walls separating adjacentcavities extending from the top towards the bottom of said cavitieswhereby the ice pieces formed in said cavities are interconnected bywebs of ice formed in said passages;

vertically movable ejection means including pads normally forming bottomwall portions of said cavities for simultaneously ejecting saidinterconnected ice pieces from said mold and an elongate memberconnecting said pads and guidingly received in said passages;

the ejection axes of adjacent cavities of said mold being laterallydivergent relative to one another sufficient to break the web connectingthe ice pieces formed in said adjacent cavities during ejection thereof.

5. An ice maker according to claim 4 in which the ejection axes foralternate cavities are vertical.

6. An ice maker according to claim 4 in which the ejection axes of allof said cavities slant laterally relative to the plane of said passages.

7. An ice maker comprising:

a mold containing a plurality of longitudinally spaced cavities andhaving aligned vertical passages in the walls separating adjacentcavities, said passages extending from the top towards the bottom ofsaid cavities whereby the ice pieces formed in said cavities areinterconnected by webs of ice formed in said passages;

vertically movable ejection means including pads normally forming bottomwall portions of said cavities for simultaneously ejecting saidinterconnected ice pieces from said mold and an elongate memberconnecting said pads and guidingly received in said passages;

the ejection axes of adjacent cavities being'parallel in a longitudinalplane but laterally slanting relative to one another whereby duringejection of ice pieces from said mold adjacent ice pieces are caused totravel in laterally diverging paths to effect a twisting and breaking oftheir connecting webs.

8. An ice maker according to claim 7 in which all of said axis slantlaterally.

9. An ice maker comprising:

a mold containing a plurality of longitudinally spaced cavities andhaving aligned vertical passages in the walls separating adjacentcavities, said passages extending from the top to the bottom of saidcavities whereby the ice pieces formed in said cavities areinterconnected by webs of ice formed in said passages;

vertically movable ejection means including pads normally forming bottomwall portions of said cavities for simultaneously ejecting saidinterconnected ice pieces from said mold and an elongate memberconnecting said pads and guidingly received in said passages;

adjacent cavities respectively having a wall portion on opposite sidesof the plane of said passages slanting inwardly from the bottom to thetop thereof whereby during ejection of ice pieces from said moldadjacent ice pieces are caused to travel in laterally diverging paths toeffect a twisting and breaking of their connection web.

10. An ice maker according to claim 9 in which said cavities aresubstantially cylindrical in cross-section.

1. An ice maker comprising: a mold containing at least two cavitiesinterconnected by a passage extending from the top towards the bottom ofsaid cavities whereby the ice pieces formed in said cavities areinterconnected by a web of ice formed in said passage; ejection meansreciprocable in said cavities for simultaneously ejecting saidinterconnected ice pieces from said mold; the ejection axes of saidcavities being at an angle relative to one another sufficient to breaksaid web during ejection of said ice pieces.
 2. An ice maker accordingto claim 1 containing a plurality of cavities extending longitudinallythereof with the ejection axes of adjacent cavities angling lateralrelative to one another.
 3. An ice maker according to claim 2 in whichthe ejection axes of alternate cavities are vertical.
 4. An ice makercomprising: a mold containing a plurality of longitudinally spacedcavities and having aligned vertical passages in the walls separatingadjacent cavities extending from the top towards the bottom of saidcavities whereby the ice pieces formed in said cavities areinterconnected by webs of ice formed in said passages; verticallymovable ejection means including pads normally forming bottom wallportions of said cavities for simultaneously ejecting saidinterconnected ice pieces from said mold and an elongate memberconnecting said pads and guidingly received in said passages; theejection axes of adjacent cavities of said mold being laterallydivergent relative to one another sufficient to break the web connectingthe ice pieces formed in said adjacent cavities during ejection thereof.5. An ice maker according to claim 4 in which the ejection axes foralternate cavities are vertical.
 6. An ice maker according to claim 4 inwhich the ejection axes of all of said cavities slant laterally relativeto the plane of said passages.
 7. An ice maker comprising: a moldcontaining a plurality of longitudinally spaced cavities and havingaligned vertical passages in the walls separating adjacent cavities,said passages extending from the top towards the bottom of said cavitieswhereby the ice pieces formed in said cavities are interconnected bywebs of ice formed in said passages; vertically movable ejection meansincluding pads normally forming bottom wall portions of said cavitiesfor simultaneously ejecting said interconnected ice pieces from saidmold and an elongate member connecting said pads and guidingly receivedin said passages; the ejection axes of adjacent cavities being parallelin a longitudinal plane but laterally slanting relative to one anotherwhereby during ejection of ice pieces from said mold adjacent ice piecesare caused to travel in laterally diverging paths to effect a twistingand breaking of their connecting webs.
 8. An ice maker according toclaim 7 in which all of said axis slant laterally.
 9. An ice makercomprising: a mold containing a plurality of longitudinally spacedcavities and having aligned vertical passages in the walls separaTingadjacent cavities, said passages extending from the top to the bottom ofsaid cavities whereby the ice pieces formed in said cavities areinterconnected by webs of ice formed in said passages; verticallymovable ejection means including pads normally forming bottom wallportions of said cavities for simultaneously ejecting saidinterconnected ice pieces from said mold and an elongate memberconnecting said pads and guidingly received in said passages; adjacentcavities respectively having a wall portion on opposite sides of theplane of said passages slanting inwardly from the bottom to the topthereof whereby during ejection of ice pieces from said mold adjacentice pieces are caused to travel in laterally diverging paths to effect atwisting and breaking of their connection web.
 10. An ice makeraccording to claim 9 in which said cavities are substantiallycylindrical in cross-section.